Unwritten
by FuturePrincess
Summary: Mina is trying to discover herself now that all her girlfriends are in a completely different phase in their lives than she is. What will she find in her search? Lots of laughter and sweetness. M for sexuality in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

Mina's story will finally unfold! I was between titling this Everybody's Changing from the song by Keane or obviously Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield or even Unwell by Matchbox Twenty. I thought this fit perfectly because her story - to me, to her, to everyone is so unwritten. Anything can happen and I don't even know what the next chapter will be like. This story takes place a couple months after Serena and Darien's wedding. It's late September so Serena and Darien obviously haven't had the baby yet. Just so everyone knows when exactly this is taking place. I'm not dwelling on what happened with Darien and Mina and the confusion with that because it's all in the past now and not part of Mina's real story. Obviously romance will come - eventually. I'm not sure when I'll start that up, but probably soon. It's a story of finding yourself - even if you're thirty as Mina is in this story. It's never too late to start your true story. With no further ado I present to you **Unwritten**.

Read, rant, review!

**FP**

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**Unwritten**

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**Chapter 1**

I stepped out of the terminal with a big yawn and a quick shake of my head. God, I need coffee. Real coffee, none of that fruity crap people like to believe is coffee. It's too early to be up. I know it is. The world should know that but of course since when has the world followed by my rules? Well, usually in the past it has. Lately, not so much.

I stride forward, knowing I shouldn't linger too long anywhere so that I don't stop the traffic of the busy, busy people.

_Bunch of drones. _

I can't help thinking that. Most of them are dressed in suites and they have those blue tooths or whatever that lets you talk to people without actually holding the cell phone. You know, use as few muscles as possible. Who in their right mind would actually _hold up their phones_? I know I'm incredulous myself.

I've never been much for technology. I know how to use my Samsung something or something. That's enough for me.

And, okay, maybe they're not all pod people. There are normal people, like myself and there are other less fashionable people too. No, I'm not self absorbed. I just know my own skill. No one can claim the same fashionista title that I can. Not designer, no. I like to save my money thank you very much. Which is actually a secret of mine if you must know. Most people think I'm this impulsive shopoholic who spends all her money on shirts for a couple hundred and jeans worth as much as my entire wardrobe combined. I just happen to be a genius at finding sales and finding actually good clothing as well. I'll give you an example.

Right now I'm wearing my favorite black suede knee high boots with the black panty hose that make my legs look fabulous- come on, I know they do. As if to prove it, one of the drones just checked them out. To go with that I'm wearing one of my favorite ruffly black skirts that goes to mid-thigh and a tight beige V-neck sweater that accents all the right curves and none of the wrong. To make the look appear a little brighter and hotter I matched it with this shimmery green scarf and a biker jacket just for kicks. It's a bit risky, sure. But I can pull it off. Even better than that, people look at it and assume things. The hobo purse that a woman across from me just eyed, everyone thinks it is Coach since the trademark signs are on there- its fake. But a good fake. My skirt, they have one just like it in the Versace line. A guy passing by just checked out the sliver of cleavage the sweater reveals. I won't even mention the others. I'll bore you to tears. Actually, real fashion sometimes bores me to tears. I like creating my own, it just so happens that designers follow my trends. I should be the one on magazine fronts…

Instead I'm an almost-thirty year old screw up. If I'm being completely honest I expected greater things from myself than this by this age. A waitress at Anne's Bar/Restaurant on fifth? I mean… I like it. Most days I really do when I'm not confused for another kind of entertainment. If one more drunken loser tries to grab my ass, I'm seriously quitting.

Kids, this is what you get for dropping out of college.

You get to be best friends with a prominent doctor, an established editor and up-and-coming author, a big-time lawyer, and a chef that owns a chain of restaurants. Not that I'd want any of those jobs. Not that I even resent them for their success. They've all worked really hard for where they're at – career and significant others.

It's just… I really was happy for Serena last May. She looked absolutely stunning and Darien's expression when she walked down that aisle was just about the sweetest thing I'd ever seen. But as I stood there, I couldn't help but look at the people around me. I mean _really _look at them. My best friends are all amazing women. Who are all incredibly successful career-wise, happily married, and most of them have started procreating. I'm the last holdout.

And I'm not even holding anything back. I jump into love with guns blazing, yet somehow my heart always ends up broken.

Serena barely even dated and the first man she'd basically ever really liked turned out to be the love of her life. Too-busy Amy got Prince Charming without even blinking. Ray fought and fought and still there was a man to catch her in the end. Lita, well, that was never a surprise – she's been with Kevin basically since I've known her. Either way it doesn't really matter.

As I stood there at the front of the church, I felt out of place. For the first time since I'd met the girls back in high school – over a decade ago -, I didn't feel as though I belonged. I was no longer Mina the quirky, girly best friend. I was a fraud sucking up the energy from other people's happy endings. I was holding onto their happiness with every fiber of my being. I knew I was.

The thing is I couldn't even – still can't – tell the girls that. I know what they'd say. "Mina, you're being ridiculous! We love you!" I know they're right in a way. But in another way, I'm completely right. I don't have as big a place in any of their worlds anymore no matter what anyone says.

And I could live with that. I can. If I had a place in the world for myself, but I still feel lost in it. That's why the pod-people bother me even more. Because even if I'm not one of them in the sense that I walk around ignoring strangers and speaking into a little gadget twenty-four-seven, I've become one of them. I can feel my enthusiasm has drained. My old energy gets harder and harder to conjure with each passing day.

I'd spent the last few days off visiting my Gran Beccy in Minnesota. I have to go now before the weather over there is too unbearably cold. I thought maybe my energy could find a new power source there – probably not because of the place but because of Gran. She's the family member I most relate to. At least I used to. She's crazy energetic and always has a smile on, I swear she was born like that. Whenever I have a complaint she seems to have the answer. I enjoyed my time with her, but I didn't find whatever answer I was seeking with her. I just feel more lost because she seems so at ease with the world.

"If I go now," she'd told me at some point on the trip, "I'd be really happy. I'm fine either way, but I know I've done all I really can in this world."

Her words had come out of the blue. We hadn't been talking about death at all. We were watching absent-minded TV when she'd said it. I looked at her in confusion and a great deal of sadness because even if _she _was done with the world, I couldn't think of the world without her. She'd laughed at my expression- not in a sinister way, but a little sadly if it is possible to laugh out of sadness.

"Minny," She's the only one that ever calls me that, but I like it when she does, "I'm trying to be wise old Gran. I've never been much for deep talk, but I can tell you need it." She'd known something was off with me and I thought I'd hidden it well. "If you can find something that makes you want to get up every morning, but at the same time feel completely satisfied with what you've done at the end of the day then you'll get to where you want to be. Like me." She'd smiled that old wicked smile then. "Except hopefully not with quite as many wrinkles, it's hard to lure in all those sexy Grandpas with a face like this."

I'd laughed and kissed her cheek affectionately because even if she tried to be serious she couldn't keep it up for long. But she was right. I had to find something that made that light spark again. For the longest time that spark was lit up by my friends and sometimes sex. But apparently that's not enough anymore.

I started playing 'Part of Your World' because Disney songs always seem to have the answers for me. But this time it just leaves me more confused. At least Ariel has a goal in the world – she wants feet. Even if it seemed impossible at least she wanted something and she got it. I'd always liked Disney Princesses because of that. No matter how stupid or out-of-reach their dream seems – getting a prince like Sleeping Beauty or looking for knowledge and adventure like Belle – they always got it.

Well, my four best friends got their Happily Ever Afters. I think it's my turn, right? That's how it works.

And just as I think this and step out of the airport I realize it is raining and I am without an umbrella. Well, I suppose I can't have it all.

But I'd get those freakin' feet. I would. As soon as I figure out what those metaphorical feet are exactly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

This is a slightly longer, much more fun chapter. I hope you were all able to get over the boredom of that first one to read this. I am honestly so surprised at three-quarters of the things that happen to my characters. All I know is this is dedicated to a dear friend and a dear sister who are very slow eaters - you'll understand why once you read. This encounter was a surprise even to me because I really don't know what is going to happen to my characters until I start writing. Hopefully you all, the very few of you out there reading this, enjoy it! Let me know what you think thus far. Anything to improve upon, change? Let me know.

Read, rant, review!

**FP**

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**Unwritten**

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**Chapter 2**

I planned to sleep in the next morning, but instead I found myself up by nine. I don't have work until five in the afternoon so I'm not even sure what to do with myself.

My free time lately has been exactly that – free. Usually I'd be going out with the girls or at the very least I'd have a date to pay for lunch. The first would be impossible since all the girls are at work and also… If I'm being honest I've been avoiding them. Asides from Sunday lunches I've rarely seen them in the past couple of months. I'm not saying I'm enjoying it. By any means it is depressing me. But I think hanging out with them more than once a week would be even more depressing. I can't help feeling like a loser around them. And there's always a new wonderful piece of news for every meeting – from everyone except me. My life is as uneventful as it gets.

So it's better this way. I don't want to be the debby downer when they're all in their prime. I might as well keep my gloominess to myself and let everyone bask in my absence.

The dating thing… well, I've been on a hiatus. I made Sere that abstinence promise a while ago and I'm sure she wouldn't hold it against me if I went back to the same old same old – as long as Darien obviously isn't my target and of course he wouldn't. I honestly never had a real interest in the guy. I was depressed when that… incident in high school happened.

But the reason I'm staying with it doesn't have anything to do with Serena or Darien. I'm not trying to make up for anything to _them_. I'm trying to make it up to myself.

The more I consider the life I've had for the past ten years the more I realize how much time I wasted. Honestly, I could've done a lot in the time I was trying to find Prince Charming. I'm done trying to find him. Of course I'd be more than happy if he came along the way, but I have to figure out everything else before I even think about another guy. The guys I've dated in the past are losers. Point blank. I realize that now and I'm not going to waste any more time on them.

So since I have absolutely nothing to do if I'm not working I might as well attempt to be productive.

I wrote _List of My Marketable Qualities _at the top of a blank sheet of paper.

Crickets.

Absolutely nothing that I can think of… What do I have that others don't, really?

No. That's the wrong question. All I need to answer is: What do I have?

_Looks?_

I'm not sure how that'll help though. I mean, it might have when I was eighteen, but I'm old for the modeling world at this point. I'm not naïve about it. Not that I was even able to use that when I was eighteen. Believe me, I'd tried. That world is hard as hell to navigate. I just ended up drowning – although I realize that this is not possible in hell - and the girls threw me a life-jacket at the end with their support.

Right now I'm wishing they'd saved the life-jacket for someone else because I'm nearly thirty and I have no marketable qualities. I've crossed off looks.

Seriously? How is it that I have no marketable qualities? Asides being able to pour beer and distribute meals…

This is pathetic.

And depressing.

Alright so I managed to depress myself without even having to compare myself to the girls. Just thinking about myself is depressing.

Great.

Only one thing will make things better. I don't know why I thought of it. Or why I hadn't thought of it sooner.

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I'm back at the old arcade. It looks exactly the same as it did back in high school.

The same bright colors filled the whole room – reds, oranges, prinks, etc. The videogames had changed but they took up the same space as they had over a decade ago. The noises were even the same.

Shooting.

Yelling.

Laughing.

Giggling.

The giggles caught my attention the most.

There was a cute bleach-blonde girl of about fifteen I'd guess. She was the source of the giggles. Surrounding her were four equally animated girls. Looking around surreptitiously I saw two teenage boys looking over at her and the rest of her entourage. Mainly her though.

I recognized her well enough. She was me. Obviously she's a different girl, but the similarities were ridiculous. It seemed that Fate wanted to give me a glimpse of the life I'd lost. Or outgrown I suppose.

I sat at one of the stools at the front of the arcade. A pimply teenage boy came over immediately. I guess one thing had changed. The arcade workers weren't nearly as drop-dead gorgeous.

The bleach-blonde probably isn't drooling over this one. It's sad when you think about it. I bet he's a nice guy. That's one thing my maturity has taught me at least.

"Hi Ma'am, what can I get for you?"

I nearly wanted to cry. Ma'am. Really? I am old.

"Strawberry shake, thanks."

That's all I had come for in the first place, but instead I'd gotten a flash from the past.

As I waited I watched the blonde and her friends.

I know that sounds creepy. Okay, it is creepy.

But I can't help but want to go over there and shake her and tell her. "Make something of yourself! Just go to college and be a pod person!"

Her eyes were lit with that fire that I remember from so long ago. Although Ray was always considered the 'pyro' of sorts, I could pretty much conflagrate the whole world with the passion in my eyes. Now I could only hope to light a single match.

I saw the shake being set down in front of me and I mumbled a 'Thanks.'

"Well, that's not like old times at all."

I turned at the voice. It definitely didn't come from the pimply teenager. His voice couldn't possibly be that low or that smooth.

Looking up, a pair of fiery green eyes met my own. I automatically smiled and got up to hug him.

"Hey Andrew!"

"That's more like it." I looked down at the shake when he released me. Then looked up at him.

"What? You quite your day job to work at the old arcade again?" I teased.

"Nah, just saw my favorite customer and wanted to reenact the days of old. But that response was awful gloomy for a girl about to drink one of our famous shakes." He was smiling the whole time, but I sensed from his voice that he was taking my sorrow seriously.

Probably just trying to cheer me up.

"Well, if you'd made it I'd be a much more satisfied customer." I replied with an easy smile. Usually this puts people off the trail. If you smile easy there can't be anything wrong. Everyone seems to think so anyway.

"If I could get a genuine smile out of you I'll jump over that poor kid's body just to make you one."

Wow, intuitive guy. I laughed at his honesty.

"I think you'd better take your business to that girl in the corner. She's a lot cheerier than me." I took my first sip of my drink. He's right. It's not as good as the ones he used to make back in high school. Maybe it is just my aged taste-buds though. Who knows?

"My favorite customers were always the ones that needed to be cheered up. Who doesn't want to be the one who gets a rare smile from a grumpy customer?" I smiled at that. "That is more like it! I must be better than the days of old. But maybe it is just because of the nose I bent during college. Do I really look that funny?" He mused and I laughed because Andrew looking funny was a ridiculous and funny idea. "Seriously, I'm on fire! Maybe I should give my two week's notice and just come back here." I shook my head between my bouts of laughter.

"Don't do it. Trust me. I'm just a really easy sell today." I really was because he wasn't even being _that_ funny. But in this moment when I really need something to laugh at, he's funnier than Robin Williams – and that is impressive in my book.

The pimply boy came over then and asked, "What will you have, sir?"

"Whatever she's having. It apparently has a kick to it." That just made me laugh harder. Wow. Slap happy much?

"Yeah… There's definitely something else in there." Andrew had picked up my drink and looked at it critically. Eventually I came back down to Earth. "Or am I just the best remedy?"

"You know, you really are." I agreed easily.

"Uh oh. It's back." This guy really is good. Especially considering how quickly I'm switching moods at the moment. This isn't regular even for us ladies. "So, want to talk about it with practically a stranger?"

I guess he is that. Despite the years I'd 'known' him in high school, I'd barely spoken a full sentence to him asides from a few failed flirtatious lines. Our relation now was merely through our encounters at Serena and Darien's wedding planning then eventual wedding – mainly dancing as I was the Maid of Honor and he was the Best Man.

"I don't think we're strangers." I finally concluded because despite the brevity of all of these encounters for some reason it feels like a tie greater than just that of strangers. "Cosmically we're pretty dang tight."

He smiled and that's the first time since high school I realized just how dazzling that smile of his is. It just makes you happier.

"I'm glad you see it that way. I just assumed you'd see me as a nosy stranger."'

"Stranger, no. Nosy, definitely." We both laughed.

"I like to think of myself as more than just your ordinary busy body." He replied with his usually smile.

"So then you're an extraordinary busy body?" We laughed again and he shrugged easily.

"All a matter of perspective. My sister would agree with you. I like to think I'm an extremely caring person." I smiled, but took a sip of my drink to have something to do other than talk. Andrew's drink came then so he was occupied too.

I zoned out for a second and when I looked over he was nearly done with his shake. Mine was still three-quarters full.

"You're slow." He observed as I looked at our two drinks.

"I just savor things." I replied.

"Or you're slow." He said with a smile as he took another large gulp of his shake.

"We're not having a contest." Although I'm the one who said it I felt my sips get larger which is quite ridiculous. Mainly because I would never be able to beat him at this point.

"Aren't we?" He mused and picked up his drink, ignoring his straw and emptying the contents into a probably-protesting stomach. He set it down with a bang and raised both arms. "I win!"

I laughed at that because every eye in the arcade turned to him in confusion.

He merely smiled. "See, we have witnesses of my victory!" Then he grabbed his head and made that brain-freeze face we all know and love. "Ow."

I really laughed then, taking another small sip of my drink. "You should know now. I'm always the victorious one." I gave him my V for Victory sign as I sadistically laughed at his pain. "And I still have more of my drink to enjoy."

"Damn." He said as he half-laughed, half-cringed and smacked his head slightly. "I always forget about those till it happens." A moment later he was smiling normally again. "But now, tell me. What's the matter?" Before I could reply he answered for me. "See! Nothing. My hilarity has made everything better."

I laughed again. Wow, this guy _is_ good. He is actually right. I really can't conjure that depressed feeling right now.

"So… Do I win now?" His grin is so boyish; I can't help but laugh again.

I take the final sip of my shake. "I told you, I'm always the victorious one in the end. I feel so much better. Thanks Drew." I walked away then, but before I left I turned to see him still staring after me, smiling as usual.

"Will I ever see you again?" He shouted despite the fact that we weren't that far away.

To that I merely give him a final V and a smile, open the arcade door and leave.

I honestly don't know the answer to his question and I'm not sure that I like that uncertainty.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**:

I LOVE this chapter. Haha. Hopefully you guys agree. It doubled the size of the story too! I found that interesting but a lot happens here and I like the direction I'm headed because Mina isn't an emo person so I don't feel like she could stay depressed for too long.

I'd like to thank my AMAZING beta reader, friend, and awesome writer fall3n-ros3s. You should check out her stories because they're always super exciting and very well written!

Now with no further ado, I present you the third chapter of our tale! On with the show!

As always, read, rant, review!

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**Unwritten**

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**Chapter 3**

That Sunday, we met up in Darien and Serena's apartment – that being Darien's old one but transformed by Serena's brighter tastes.

Lita came late but I didn't argue once I saw that she'd brought her latest dessert creations.

"Oh! Lita these look _amazing_!" I exclaimed, genuinely excited to try them.

"Try them before you say that. I'm hoping to add some new desert options on our menu because right now it's pretty lacking." She set the tray down on the coffee table in front of us and we all leaned forward to grab some. "Wait!" She shouted, halting our greedy fingers.

"What?" Serena pouted, eyeing the pastries, and I laughed.

"I made them person-specific this time and I don't want you guys to take the wrong ones. Hang on a sec, I'll go grab plates! Where are they, Sere?"

"We don't need plates, Lita." Ray said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, can we just eat?" Serena questioned.

"You can use some of that china people got you for the wedding though!" Lita coerced, but Serena just looked at her.

"And wash them? I hate dishes." With that Lita gave up on us.

"You guys are incorrigible. I try and I try to make things classy and noooooo. No one listens to me." She mumbled all of this as she grabbed napkins and then put each person's dessert in front of them.

"Yay! Chocolate! Is this cookie dough?" Serena exclaimed before biting in and shutting up.

"Nuts! My favorite." Ray exclaimed and we all laughed.

"That's what she said." I had to say it because Serena was too busy laughing into her food, Lita didn't seem to be paying attention to anything because she was still upset by our lack of propriety, and Amy wouldn't be so undignified.

"I like nuts too, don't worry." Amy said kindly but that made Serena and I laugh harder.

They were different kinds of some kind of pastry – I have no idea what. Lita said something about it but I didn't catch it. Mine was a mix of strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry and it was AMAZING.

"It's fabulous, Lita! Really. You outdid yourself." And I kept eating as Lita beamed at all of the compliments.

Eventually we moved on to drinks and sat around swapping stories. It was carefree fun and I forgot all about my I'm-a-loser attitude. We heard the door open and Ray glared over at Serena.

"No boys!" And we all nodded in agreement.

"I told him to get a life for half a day, but I guess he'll just never have one," Serena said jokingly, shaking her head in mock tragedy.

"Honey, I'm home!" We heard Darien's voice giving the impression of Ricky Ricardo and Ray rolled her eyes.

"Honeymoon stage. You'll get over it."

Serena giggled and got up. "This is actually better."

I had no idea what that meant, so I just went back to my coffee. A few seconds later Darien and Serena came back to the room, holding hands and smiling like there was no tomorrow.

"Hi, Crazy Clubhouse." Darien greeted – that's what he's termed us. Before any of us could say anything Serena cleared her throat.

"We have some news, actually." She was smiling ear to ear and it was quite infectious.

"Oh my God!" Amy exclaimed and I turned to her in confusion. Serena nodded at her enthusiastically and then looked confused.

"How do you know? Have I already gained weight?" She asked no one in particular but looked down at her stomach. Understanding dawned on my face.

"Serena!" I squealed.

"I'm pregnant!" Darien was the one who said this. We all stopped and looked at him. He laughed awkwardly for a moment before clarifying, "I mean we are. She is. Whatever!" And we all laughed and ran over to them to congratulate the happy couple.

Throughout all this I was on a high of happiness for her. Serena's having a baby! I'm going to be an aunt! I've always wanted to pamper a little kid –especially a girl. She may not be mine, but its close enough. Possibly as close as I'll get.

After a bit, Darien left again saying that he wouldn't dare interrupt one of our lunch dates again and "Feel the wrath of the Crazy Clubhouse."

We dismissed him without another glance as we were too enraptured in our swooning over Serena's still-flat stomach.

Another long while later, Serena got up to put away all the dishes.

"Can you help me, Mina?" She asked and the look on her face told me she had something she needed to tell me. What that was that wasn't to be said in front of the girls, I have no clue.

"I'll help too, Sere." Lita got up, but Serena shook her head with a smile.

"No, no. One is plenty! The kitchen can't even fit all of us!" It was a really bad excuse and Lita knew it because the kitchen was huge, like everything else in the apartment. But I waved her down with a smile saying it would be no problem.

Lita mouthed, "What is it?" And I shrugged.

I picked up some of the dishes and walked with Serena.

"What's up?" I asked, a little bit worried. What could this be about?

She waited until we were in the kitchen before she put down all the dishes and signaled me to do the same. She smiled brightly as she pulled me into a seat in the small dining table in the kitchen – they had a bigger, real dining room across the hall.

"This is good news! At least I hope. Don't look so worried." And I smiled, reassured she wasn't going to tell me she is secretly dying or something. "Darien and I talked about this even before we found out about the baby." She paused for a second, leaving me a little concerned again, "I, we, I mean, would really like you to be this little guy or girl's Godmother."

I looked at her, dumbfounded. What?

"What?" That's all I could think to say.

"You know… in case anything, God forbid of course, happens to Darien and me." She said, a little worried-looking now too.

"No, no. I know what a Godmother is. It's just… Sere, why didn't you ask Ray? She and Chad would do a fabulous job! Or Lita and Kevin, or Amy and Zach… You have three very responsible couples to give this child to." This really was confusing. Had she even thought about this beforehand?

"I know we could." She said with a smile and she grabbed my hand. "But I want you to be Godmother. I didn't want to ask you in front of the girls because I'm not sure if they'd be hurt or what, but I choose you for this job, Mina. You're the closest thing I have to a sister. I mean, all the girls are my like sisters, but you're blood. I know we've had our differences this past year…" She trailed off looking sad, "I'm _really_ sorry about all that, honestly. The more I think about it the more-"

I shook my head with a smile. "It's in the past." She smiled back.

"Thank you. But anyway. You're blood. You're my best friend. Darien wants Drew to be the Godfather too since that's really the only person he has that's 'family' so I get to pick the Godmother. And I want you. You'd treat this baby like your own child, I know you will."

I was so completely happy in that moment, but I still had my precautions for the soon-to-be mother.

"Serena, you realize I have the crappiest job of all the girls, right? You realize I'm the most irrespo- " She cut me off there with another smile.

"Job shmob! Who cares what your occupation is? The girls have too busy of jobs anyway. And I'm not choosing you because of your job. I'm choosing you because you're the perfect person for the job. You're sweet, fun, smart, and everything else that an aunt – and mom should be."

With that I shut up and smiled radiantly at her, so completely overwhelmed with excitement and joy for the both of us. "Of course I'll do it, Sere!"

She giggled excitedly and asked, "Really?"

"Duh!" And we hugged the way only true best friends can.

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That kept me on a high for the rest of the week. I might feel like a loser at this point in my life, but Serena sees something in me that is worthy enough to take care of her child and that is good enough for me!

However, of course, Thursday spun around to ruin everything.

I'm working an evening shift and this old man has been hitting on me since the moment I asked what he'd have tonight. It's really disturbing when this happens, but of course it's part of the job. I came back to place his dishes down.

"Here you are, sir." I said tersely, but politely.

"You know, twenty years ago you would've jumped at the chance." Creepy-old-guy said with a mouth full of missing teeth.

I wanted to say, how about try fifty years ago? Or probably never. But I didn't. I have to refrain.

Instead, I laughed a totally fake and creeped out laugh.

"I'm sure plenty of gals are still chasing you down." I really don't like to bust people's egos, especially old people. And he's as old as people get.

"Well, you know…" He paused for a second and I wasn't sure if he was about to die or was just thinking. You really can't tell when someone is this old. But then he spoke again and I let go of my breath. Sadly, he was just thinking. "It still works." He whispered this last part to me.

I'm pretty sure if they could, my eyes would've bulged out of my head. Was he insinuating what I think?

"Some people think that… once it goes down it'll never come back up, but there are remedies." Then he winked and I just about puked over his beer and fries.

That's quite possibly the most disgusting, appalling thing I've ever heard and I've heard some disgusting, appalling stuff.

_Think, Mina! THINK!_

Aha!

"I'll be sure to tell my boyfriend that! He gets worried about what'll happen in the future." I added this, thinking it was over. Boyfriends always do the trick with creepy people. Whew, I'm done.

I tried to walk away but he grabbed my hand and I froze. Oh God.

His hands were cold and clammy - basically the worst combination ever.

"He wouldn't even know. And I have plenty of experience on him."

And that was it. I shook my hand free from his creepy, slimy one and gave him a glare, staring him straight in the eye.

"Sir, my job is NOT to be harassed by people like you. Quite frankly, if you want my honesty, you're older than my Gran. And even if we were the same age, I CERTAINLY wouldn't be doing THAT with you. Or anything else. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other work to attend to. If you want to order something else, then you can talk to me again. Otherwise, go to hell!"

I walked away with my dignity intact and Fred, the bartender this evening, gave me a questioning look and I just rolled my eyes. He knows what that means – another creep with nothing better to do than harass me. But then I see Fred's eyes widen and I get confused.

This isn't that rare. People do this kind of crap all the time. What's up with him? Why's he looking at me like that? And that's when I realized he wasn't looking at me at all.

I turned to see that Creepy-Old-Guy's face is now in his plate of fries, completely immobile.

Holy shit. I killed Creepy-Old-Guy.

Well, there goes my rare, carefree week.

* * *

Two hours later I'm still at the hospital. I'd felt too guilty to let Creepy-Old-Guy get in the ambulance alone so I left work early. So instead of being paid my measly wage by the hour, I'm just twiddling my thumbs in the waiting room.

Creepy-Old-Guy, also known as Harold Ernest as the medics discovered from his wallet, didn't die. The paramedics reassured me several times, as I was hysterical in the ambulance, that I wouldn't have to worry about murder being added to the list of deadly sins I've committed. But I wasn't too convinced because they all looked relatively worried for people assured that the man on their gurney wasn't dying.

There really is nothing worse than having to sit in the hospital waiting room. I don't think I have ever been this bored in my ENTIRE life.

At first I tried people watching but that kind of failed. People in the hospital aren't even that interesting. Not even the nurses and doctors walking around. If this was Grey's Anatomy there'd be at LEAST some flirtation and then they'd run off to the on call room or something. That apparently doesn't happen in real life. Everyone is very serious and bored-looking. Well, that sucks.

Then I tried sleeping and that failed because every once in a while they'd page someone in the intercom for some kind of code. I even heard, "Paging Zach Barker to the ICU." That's Amy's husband. I wonder if she's here right now? I suppose I couldn't really ask her to entertain me either.

But I do have a last resort! I totally forgot about my ipod. I can drown out the monotonous noises that way.

One of my favorite things to do is put my ipod on shuffle and see what the first song that comes on is. I feel like that song somehow reflects the day. Obviously it isn't a precise science, but it's fun.

Sooo let's see.

_I Could've Danced All Night_ came on.

Huh. Well, it's a good song, but I don't think this night is worthy of it. Whatever, maybe there's a new meaning within the song I'm not quite getting that fits.

_I could've danced all night. And still have begged for moreeeeeee. I could've spread my wings and done a thousand things I've never done before._

I continued singing it in my head with my eyes closed, imagining myself as Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

Then I felt something odd and opened my eyes. There was a hand in my face snapping.

"AH!" It was an automatic reaction to scream and burrow a little in my chair. Then I looked up and saw a familiar, sheepish face. I saw him mouthing something, but my music was too loud to hear so I paused my ipod.

"What'd you say?" I asked Andrew who laughed a little.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He repeated with a smile and I felt my heart skip a half beat – it was almost unnoticeable, but I knew myself well enough. He plopped down in the seat next to me.

"Oh, no, it's probably my fault for having my music too high. Even when it's dark out and I'm walking, I have it like this. I'm pretty sure it's the stupidest thing to possibly do, especially in New York City." I tend to ramble a little if I get nervous and for some reason I am a little nervous. Possibly because the seats in the hospital are really close together and his left arm is in direct contact with my right one.

He laughed a little. "Well, if you know that, why not stop? Then you can see all the cute guys trying to get your attention."

I smiled. "Are you referring to yourself as one of the cute guys trying to grab my attention?"

He shrugged with a boyish grin. "I don't deny it since I don't see any other guys around at the moment to fit that bill asides myself."

I smiled at him then saw his right hand. The smile disappeared. "Ouch, what happened there?"

He grinned again, rubbing the back of his head with his working hand. The other one was bandaged. "Oh, you know, just broke it playing football."

"Uhhuh," I said disbelieving. The way he said it made it obvious it was a total lie. He seemed to take a while to come up with the excuse too. "So, what'd you actually do to it?"

He looked sheepish again, but his green eyes were still bright with his usual humor. It's actually a really good look on him. "Well, I'd tell you, but I think it'll ruin my man image." He said it with a laugh and I couldn't help but smile.

"Let's say that your 'man image' with still be intact. Now, how'd you break it?" I asked curiously.

"I didn't break the whole hand. I just broke a finger… And, well, I was arm wrestling." He finished.

"That's still a pretty macho way of going down." I said, confused.

"With my sister." He added with another sheepish grin and I laughed. I couldn't help it. "Hey! You said my man image would be intact!" He repeated what I'd said, but I was still laughing.

"That doesn't mean it isn't funny!" I continued laughing and could hear his embarrassed chuckle next to me.

"She's freakishly strong." He mumbled almost to himself. And I kept laughing. "Oh, shut up." But I knew he wasn't really that broken up about it because he was laughing too.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" I told him with a smile.

"It's been mentioned in passing." He replied good-naturedly.

"Excuse me, Miss?" I looked up to see one of the doctors, a really cute guy in his early thirties actually, from the ambulance.

"Yes?" I'd totally forgotten about Creepy-Old-Guy.

The doctor smiled at me reassuringly, he took my confused look to be concern I guess.

"I'm Doctor Ben Ingrid." He greeted and we shook hands. "Mr. Ernest will be just fine. He suffered a minor heart attack. He may not be jumping up and down anytime soon, but he'll make a full recovery."

I smiled gratefully, "Thank you doctor."

He nodded then asked, "Are you family?"

I shook my head.

"Oh, well, only family can visit at the moment, but I suppose we could make an exception since you brought him here and –" I cut him off with a smile.

"That's quite alright. I just needed to make sure he was alive, that's all."

Doctor Ben smiled again, "That was very kind of you. Not many strangers would do that. You're quite a woman." There was more than just friendliness in his voice for that last line and I felt a blush rise. Then he looked over at Drew who'd been sitting silently through the encounter and Doctor Ben gave a last parting smile before shaking my hand one more time and leaving.

I saw him look back a couple times across the hall.

I looked at Drew and noticed his stony expression.

"What's up?" I asked and instantly it disappeared with his natural smile.

"I guess there are other attention-beggars besides myself." I looked at him, confused. He laughed. "Dr. Benny over there might as well have had a tail wagging all over the place."

I laughed at him. "Shut up. He's just being friendly."

"Ha." He literally said it like that then looked a little sheepish, but continued anyway. "That's definitely not what he's hired to do that's all I'm saying."

I laughed again at his absurdness then heard someone yelling, "Drew!"

I looked over to find a flaming red-haired beauty looking entirely pissed off walking straight at us.

"Seriously! I've been looking everywhere for you! You know how many places are in this hospital? And you don't even answer your cell!"

"Sorry, Lizzie." Andrew gave that infamous sheepish look and I'm sitting there completely confused.

Is this his girlfriend? He's been flirting with me while he has a girlfriend? I'm one hundred percent sure he's been flirting. At least I think… Okay maybe I'm seventy-five percent sure. Whatever, it doesn't matter. He has a gorgeous red-haired, green-eyed girlfriend. She does look awfully young for him though. She can't be more than twenty!

"Who's this?" 'Lizzie' asks with a polite smile. Well, at least she's nice. He deserves a nice girlfriend.

"Oh, sorry! Lizzie this is Mina." He introduces. "Mina, this is my little sister Elizabeth or Lizzie or whatever else you want to call her including, but not limited to Pea Brain."

My smile is totally genuine now when I greet her. "Hi!" She smiles back but glares at Andrew.

"Don't listen to him. He was dropped a lot as a child." I laugh and then I think… his sister broke his finger arm wrestling? THIS girl? She's so tiny and I laugh really hard then.

"You… She… broke your finger?" Andrew looked even more sheepish and Lizzie laughed with me.

"Seriously! She has freakish strength!" Andrew argues with a huff of frustration as he crosses his arms, but Lizzie and I continue to tease him endlessly for the next five minutes. Lizzie's my type of girl.

"Alright, if you ladies are done -" He began and I cut him off.

"Not yet!" But he shakes his head with a smile.

"Alright, now that you ladies are done how about we get out of the hospital?" Andrew suggests and I follow him out while continuing teasing him with Lizzie.

"Want a ride, Mina?" Lizzie asks when we're outside. I shake my head, but Andrew cuts me off.

"Did you drive here?" He asks and I shake my head.

"I took the ambulance with Creepy-Old-Guy." I reply without thinking and Andrew laughs while Lizzie looks confused.

"You'll have to tell us the story on the way to your place. Where do you live?" He asks as he pushes me in front of him towards the parking lot – with his good hand of course. I didn't attempt to argue, I can already tell it would be futile.

The ride back was just as fun as the time in the hospital with the Masen's. I told them all about my Creepy-Old-Guy encounter and Andrew added bits at the end about _Doctor Benny_ as he kept referring to him.

"Really, Doctor Ben wasn't creepy like Andrew's making him out to be." I said from the back seat to Lizzie.

"I never said he was creepy." Andrew clarified. "I'm just saying he was being a little over friendly."

Lizzie laughed as I swatted the back of Andrew's head in front of me.

"So, are you guys dating then?" Lizzie asked bluntly with a wicked gleam in her eyes, very much like her big brother's.

"No." I immediately replied, but felt my cheeks heat up again. I saw Andrew's eyes look at me in the rearview mirror, his boyish grin was back.

"Ask that question again in a week, Lizzie. You might get a different response." He said and my cheeks heated even more.

"You should marry her. There aren't many people that still blush like a tomato from something so innocent." She said and Andrew laughed and ruffled her hair a little as I continued to look like exactly what she said – a tomato. Then she looked over at me with a sweet smile. "Don't be too concerned with me. I'm your run of the mill idealist when it comes to all things love."

I smiled as I recognized a kindred soul. "Me too." No matter how much I try to deny it, I will always be exactly what she professed.

All too soon I found us stopped at my apartment building. I got out of the car and stood at the window on Andrew's side.

"Thanks for the ride, Andrew. I had a really good time." I said then realized how weird that sounds considering where we were. We all laughed. "You know what I mean. I'm officially a fan of the Masen family."

"Cool! So you'll come over for dinner next Sunday!" Lizzie said excitedly and my eyes widened and Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Lizzie." He turned to her and put a hand to her mouth. She easily pried it off. I guess she is freakishly strong – or he's extremely weak, but I kind of doubt that considering the way he looks. "Shut up. If I haven't even been on a date alone with the girl you don't go asking her out first."

She smiled her trademark wicked smile. "Maybe if you weren't so slow you wouldn't be beaten to the punch line."

"Now you really need to shut up." This time I guess something in his expression told her he meant business because she gave the family trademarked sheepish smile and did as she was told – shut up. I laughed at their encounter.

"Alrightie, well, bye and thanks!" I started to walk away as my cheeks were now burning like none other and I preferred they didn't notice.

"Hold up!" I heard him behind me and I stopped. I couldn't control the smile that spread across my face immediately.

"Yes?" I asked innocently as he ran in front of me.

"So… Um… Well, she's kind of right despite her idiocy." He started and I laughed. "Would you maybe… umm…" He'd never stuttered before. I couldn't help but laugh because he was being so cute. He gave a sheepish grin again and ran a hand through his slightly-longer-than-crew-cut dirty blonde hair. "Okay." He said and shook his head. "Okay, start over. Would you like to -"

"Yes." I said before he could start stuttering again. He smiled a real full-teeth smile and laughed in relief.

"Alright then." He said nodding.

"Alright then." I said and I started walking away.

"How about next Saturday? Not this one because I have a lot of work, but the following? I know it's far but –" He called out to me before I disappeared through the doors to the apartment.

I turned with a smile and nodded. "Sounds good. Six o'clock." He nodded and I gave him my V trademark with a wink. I saw and heard his laugh before I walked away into the building.

_I'll never know what made it so exciting. While all at once, my heart took flight…_

And the entire way into my apartment, and for a large portion of that night, I continued singing _I Could Have Danced All Night_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

Sorry for the amazingly long wait, but to make up for it (not on purpose, admittedly) this chapter just doubled the size of the story. Haha. And I think it'll be funny/amusing and hopefully worth the wait as it took a LONG time for the muses to bestow upon me some much-needed inspiration.

Read, rant, review

_**FP**_

* * *

**Unwritten**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The rest of the week passed without incident. Sunday with the girls came and I found myself excited for it, not even sure why. My mood seems to have lifted; though more than ever after Creepy-Old-Guy I feel I need to find myself a new occupation.

"Hi! I brought lattes so you can't kill me!" I greeted with an overenthusiastic smile as I have come about half an hour late to our lunch. I slept in a little… I usually actually do this. I think it was shocking that I was on time last lunch.

"Back to the good old self I see. But thanks for the coffee." Ray grumbled the words out a little, but I don't think she meant it menacingly. This is the attitude she has when the triplet demons have been at work.

"Kid problems?" I ask sympathetically as she ushers me in, but I'm really glad not to hear any noises suggesting they're still here. Chad takes them out to visit relatives when we're over, but I always worry when she hosts that we might end up just babysitting. I love kids… but let's just say I'm pretty sure 99% of the triplet's genes come from Ray. The angry, loud genes.

"You have no idea. Can we trade lives for a week? I'm tired of mine." She says as we sit down and a yawn escapes her as if to prove her point.

I quirk my eyebrows up suggestively, "Hey, at least you get some."

She laughs a little but I see a trace of sadness in her eyes.

"Oh, I see." I reply with a little blush.

"Who's getting some?" Lita perked up when she heard that piece of our conversation – she'd just come from the kitchen, as usual bringing out the treats.

"Well, we know for sure Sere is." I reply, giving a little relief to Ray, with a wink and it makes Serena blush.

"Honeymoon stage." Ray grumbles back bitterly. "That baby will change it all for certain, Sere. Be warned."

"Hasn't so far." She came back easily with a giggle as her blush deepened.

"Really? You dog you." Lita teased with a wink and we laughed.

"You know, I thought it would too – even just the thought of having the baby… I mean, I thought it would burn that out… But it's like he's even more invigorated. He's just so -" She blushed and cut herself off realizing her accidental confession. "Anyway! Mina, your turn."

I laugh and shake my head, "I'm the innocent one here, isn't this a crazy world?"

Ray raises her eyebrow, "Dry spell for you too? You've been awfully dry for a while now, Mina."

I smile awkwardly with a shrug as though it was nothing. Ten months dry spell. _Ten months_. But I just brush it off to them, "Making up for years of wet spells." Then I turn the color of a tomato, realizing the double-meaning of that. They all burst out laughing – Amy giggles silently with her own rosy cheeks.

"Amy's turn!" I cheer and she immediately falls deeper into her chair.

Ray laughs sadistically, "You just left bachelorette-hood pretty recently yourself, not quite as recent as Sere, but there's no baby to ruin it yet sooo?"

Amy blushes again and I raise my eyebrows suggestively, "That good, huh?"

If possible she turns even redder and all the girls laugh.

"Lita!" Amy points as though she were turning a criminal accusation onto someone else. But Lita rolls her eyes at us with a smile.

"I've been married practically since you guys met me _and _I have three kids." She said it simply as if that finished the story but we all silently sat there staring at her, waiting. She smiles suggestively, "All I'm saying is, it may come a little less frequently than once upon a time, but boy when it comes." She makes a rather inappropriate sound then bites into her scone.

I think pretty much all of us are red faced from both laughter and embarrassment at our topic of choice.

_Ten months_. That kept ringing in my head throughout the lunch, but I kept that little fact to myself. The girls know there's a dry spell, but that doesn't mean they have to know how long. Nearly a year!

"Oh, by the way," Serena interrupts my thoughts at one point. "You girls want to go shopping with me tonight? I know it's early but I kind of want to start looking at maternity stuff so that I can find deals."

Ray shook her head, "I can't tonight. Since Chad's benevolently taking care of our demon spawn today, I'm letting him go out with some of the guys tonight so I'm on kid duty. But!" She races off before completing her enthusiastic exclamation. We wait for her to return, but we hear shuffling.

"Any other takers?" Serena moves on with a smile. A round of 'can't's could be heard all around and she turns to me with puppy dog eyes. "You're _the_ ultimate shopper, Mins. You can't bail on me now."

I smile at her, "I'm free. I got tonight off because of all the stress with Creepy-Old-Guy. They thought I'd suffered some emotional stress." They all look at me like I am nuts.

"Creepy-Old-Guy?" Amy asks, confused. And I begin to tell my tale.

Halfway through the story of all the dirty things Creepy-Old-Guy told me, the girls once again a deep crimson, Ray reentered the room with two gigantic trash bags.

"Sorry to interrupt the raunchy tale, you'll have to start over by the way," She says with a devious smile then turns to Serena, "Here! Clothes galore. I always find good sales. I will _not_ need them again. Unless I get horribly fat I suppose."

"Wow," Serena says shocked, but then smiles, "Thanks Ray! I guess our shopping list has just decreased dramatically." She says the last part with a smile to me then turns to Ray again. "I'll give them back to you when my nine months of torture are done, I promise."

Ray shakes her head, "Nope, keep them. I don't even want to look at them again and remember all that suffering. I have years of suffering ahead of me, no need to look towards the past for it."

"Wait," I say, a little confused, "So there's no possibility you and Chad are considering more children?"

"Are you kidding?" She laughs almost manically, "After that diabolical no way! I mean, I love the kids and all, but three is way more than enough and more than expected. Chad's already signed up for a vasectomy."

I blanch at the idea, and when I look at the girls the same expression is on their faces.

"What?" It is said in unison. Ray laughs awkwardly.

"That's part of the reason we're not… you know." For a second we were clueless then nodded in understanding, allowing her to continue. "I'm too scared of getting pregnant again and Chad's not a fan of the idea either. We wanted the first one, we planned on having some more consecutively but since it all just kind of popped out at once at us… We figure we do the snippity snip and never worry again."

I cringe at the _snippity snip_. That doesn't sound at all pleasant for Chad.

"Hi everyone!" Chad greets, one boy – Damien (ie. Demon #1) asleep on his arm - as though on cue and we all turn deep shades of red. His smile vanishes, "What's wrong with all of you?"

Before we could reply, the remaining two of the triplet demons – Madison (Maddy for short) and Christopher (Chris for short) - come running – or stumbling more like it – over to us, saving us from that awkward conversation.

Chris ran over to his mommy, and Maddy ran over to me. That was surprising… Maybe she has taken a liking to me?

I pick her up as she was signaling for me to do so and as soon as she is high enough she starts yanking on my ponytail.

I stand awkwardly as the rest of the girls look on in amusement at my predicament.

"And she was so cute for a second." I say helplessly, but Chad has already left the room and Ray is busy with demonic Chris pulling on her leg.

"Chad…" Ray growls as she picks up her son and runs after her early husband.

"Want to follow mommy?" I ask Maddy, but she continues giggling and pulls on my hair in new directions.

Ray comes in a second later to grab her, apologizing profusely – for her husband, not her children.

"Stupid man can't keep them occupied for just a couple of hours! That's all I asked for! Vasectomy or no vasectomy he isn't getting any at this rate." She mutters all of this as she goes back in the other room where Chad is – we hear a noise that indicated Damien had woken from his nap. Now all three were up.

"Well," I say awkwardly to the rest of the girls.

"Time to leave I'd say!" Lita says as she proactively gets up.

"Yes, lots of shopping to do, right Sere?" I ask as I attempt herding Serena out too. She seems to have gone into a slight shock because her eyes are huge and she's motionless.

"What if…" She starts but doesn't continue.

"What if what?" I ask, confused. Amy got up to shake Serena's shoulders. Serena seems to awaken a bit.

"What if mine are that cute?" She finally finishes with a huge and dazed smile, sighing in awe.

We are all silent. Those? Cute? Wow, pregnancy does change you.

"Then call an adoption agency ASAP." Amy surprised us by saying and Lita and I laugh – more like snickered actually. Serena was appalled.

"It's okay! We have to go anyway, forget about it. Just imagine how cute your kids will be and breathe." I say quickly before Serena's hormones take over. That seems to satisfy her.

"Bye Ray!" I shout and a chorus of goodbyes start with Ray still in the other room. I could hear her yelling some pretty child-inappropriate words in there… Hopefully the kids don't pick up on those words… They'd only _just_ recently started saying random words; it would be a tragedy for words like that to enter their vocabulary so suddenly and so soon.

"What the –" Ray left us with those parting words that I'd rather not repeat. On the other hand, I think it'll be impossible for the kids to not pick up on these words soon. Mommy and daddy sure like them.

* * *

"So, what else is left on your list since Ray gave you all that stuff?" I ask from the passenger seat about a half hour later. I'd dropped off my car back at my apartment as we decided one car is better than us driving separate and Serena volunteered hers since she's the one 'forcing me along'. I don't mind in the least.

"I don't know, look through the bags. I haven't looked them over yet." Serena replies as she concentrates on traffic and glares at everyone around her. That's what New York driving will do to you – even the sweetest person becomes mad on these roads.

I start to look through Ray's maternity stuff.

Yup, just as hideous as I remembered when she wore them.

"Yeah, you still need everything." I inform her and Serena gives a slight pout.

"What? Those bags are huge!" She manages to get this in before offering some words of advice to a nearby taxi, but she was actually rather polite about it. If it was Ray… well, some other words would've been uttered.

"Let's just say that Ray's perception that _pregnancy _and _children _are what ruined her and Chad's sex life is a little skewed." I laugh as I hold up one of many awful shirts up for Serena to see. Even she cringed and giggled a little as she saw it. "All I'm saying is if you want to keep Darien… 'invigorated'," She blushes as I laugh at her word choice earlier, "You might want to think of getting some clothes of your own**;** otherwise it'll be an awfully long nine months."

She laughs through her blush and nods, "Lots of shopping it is."

I laugh along with her as we drive over to the mall.

* * *

"Even if this were a dollar, who would get it?" Serena says as she picks up another awful shirt. This one is a mix of puke green and puke orange**,** the most unfortunate combination. She cringes looking at it**.** "Do they think that pregnancy means we're dying?"

I laugh as I look at the shirt critically. "Well," I tilt my head in thought, "I think the color is a major problem, but if you wash it so it fades then it would have woodsy and not puke tones. And-" I run off to one of the racks in the store with belts and grab one of the bigger ones, "If you put this belt with it, it might pass for fashionable." I smile proudly at my creation then look up to Serena. Her mouth is agape.

"How did you even think of that?" She says with an awed smile as she grabs the shirt and belt from me. "You really are a fashion genius." She smiles at me affectionately as she looks down at the new outfit. Then looks up at me again thoughtfully, "Can**'**t we save Ray's disasters then?"

I laugh, "Nothing can save them. I'm not a miracle worker." And she laughs as we move on to look at more clothes.

Four hours, three cups of coffee, a donut, and five shopping bags later**,** we're sitting munching on various snacks in the cafeteria of the mall. More like I'm watching Serena in awe as she puts ill-matched foods together.

"Try it! This is soooo good!" She exclaims about pretty much every weird combo she makes and I shake my head.

"Do you see what you're eating? No thanks, I'll stick with my pizza." She pouts a little then shrugs with a smile.

"Suite yourself!" She said and digs in some more.

"Poor Darien," I mumble and she gives me a faux glare then looks alarmed and guilty. "What?" I ask.

She hits her head with her hand. "He called me earlier asking to get something dropped off at the office since he's working late tonight. I totally forgot."

I looked at my watch and shrugged, "It's still only five. Let's go."

She nods and starts stuffing things at lightning speed into her mouth as I look on in awe. "Anyway, do we still want to head to Ray's beforehand or after?"

She gives a smirk, "Ray first."

We giggle and are on our merry way ten minutes later.

* * *

"What're you doing here?" Ray asks, rightfully confused when we show up a half hour later.

"Hope these fit," I smile conspiratorially as I hand her a shopping bag, completely red-faced.

"And here, so you don't have to worry about another surprise. Really, they do work. I don't know why you're so worried." Serena hands her the other part of our surprise gift. Ray's face turns completely red when she sees what we handed her.

"What?" She asks stunned and embarrassed.

"Next Sunday you better be a happy camper." I laugh at her as I give her a wink and a V and Serena and I run out of the building as though a fire was just set.

"Have fun Chad!" Serena shouts on her way out.

"Wait until the kids are asleep!" I say quickly as well and I briefly hear Ray's embarrassed laugh before we're gone and falling over backwards laughing our heads off.

* * *

By six thirty we'd finally gotten to Masens & Shields.

"If only Andrew's last name were Swords." Serena smiles at my comment.

"You know, I said that exact same thing the first time I came here. I think the only solution is for Andrew to change his last name." We laugh and I smile brightly recognizing the face at the receptionist desk as soon as we enter the building.

"Cindy?" I question and look over to Serena. She laughs and nods in confirmation. "Isn't she your barista?"

"I discovered she had some musical ambitions so I told Darien and of course he was all for it. He'd already bonded with her at my office. I was just upset he'd stolen her from me, but I suppose it's a better opportunity than serving coffee." Serena replied with an exaggerated sigh and I laugh and wave at Cindy, who'd just noticed us.

"Hey, Sere! Hi –uhm… Oh, crap." She gives a cute, awkward laugh. "Oh God! I'm the worst at names. I know it! I do! Malinda?" She tries and I laugh and shake my head while she cringes and hits her head with her hand. "Ma—mi—mo…"

"It actually goes do-re-me-fa-so-la-ti." I say with a laugh. Then put in more helpfully, "Mina."

"Mina!" She pounded her fist on the desk as though she'd gotten it herself, like I didn't say anything. "Sorry," She added with a blush. "I'm the worst with names if I don't see you regularly. Or even if I do see you regularly, ask Serena."

Serena nods with a smile. "It's true. For half a year I was 'Selina', 'Sabrina', 'Sam'."

Cindy gave another apology, but I shook it off. "Only reason I know your name so well is because Serena talks a lot about you. I wouldn't know my name either, no worries."

"Is Darien in his office right now?" Serena asks Cindy once our exchange was over.

"Mr. Shields just left about a half hour ago. He went…" She looked deep in thought for a second, trying to remember, then smiled sheepishly. "I honestly don't remember… John was on the phone when he was leaving." She gave a blush and both Serena and I smile sympathetically, assuming John is a love interest.

"That's okay. How about Andrew then?" Serena asks and Cindy nods, feeling victorious about having some knowledge.

"Yes! He's in his office still," Cindy replies. We exchange goodbyes and are off to Andrew's office… I hadn't planned on seeing him at all in this little trip, but I suppose it really can't be avoided, can it? Not that I want to avoid it. Everything will be normal anyway. We still haven't gone out or anything.

But should I tell Serena? I don't know why I didn't tell any of the girls yet, but I just didn't think it mattered… And now we're heading to Andrew's office… What if he mentions it? Nah, he wouldn't. Plus, it's not a big deal even if he did.

Play it by ear, I quickly conclude and turn to Serena. "Some receptionist, huh?" I laugh and she smiles affectionately.

"She just started a couple weeks ago, still getting the hang of things, but Darien says she's actually pretty insightful when she's paying attention." Serena says and we laugh at that, remembering being a teenager… Although, she's probably twenty now I think, but close enough.

A minute later we're in front of a glass door, and I can see Andrew's blonde head bent down over some paperwork, his hand in his hair – looking frumpy and tired but still somehow incredibly sexy. Serena had enough sense to knock on the door, unlike me, and his head rose to see his guests.

His eyes caught mine immediately and he broke into an enthusiastic smile that I returned instantly. He really is gorgeous… I felt a little stupid a second later when he gave the same gesture to Serena. I shook my head, trying to clear it so I don't act stupid in front of both Andrew and Serena.

An instant later he's ushered Serena and I in. Grabbing Serena first, he planted a kiss on each of her cheeks. "I can't thank you enough for interrupting right now. I think you would have seen an Andrew-shaped hole in that window if you came a second later." Serena laughed and then he came over to me.

His eye seemed to sparkle the second our eyes connected, but I wasn't sure if that's my own silly imagination or if it's real.

Yup, it's real. He bent to kiss my cheek, but instead planted the kiss on the side of my mouth, and it was definitely on purpose as he did the same to the other side. Sly one, isn't he? I, of course, could tell as I was the one being kissed but from Serena's position next to us she wouldn't be able to see the difference.

"How are you ladies today?" He asks once he's done with his greeting, but places his hand on the small of my back, seemingly to push me further into the room. A shiver ran up my spine at the touch of his hand. He didn't put it down until I was in one of the seats on the side of the office, and even then he merely placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Good," Serena replied with a smile. "I'm here to drop off something for Darien, but he's out apparently so I thought we'd bug you for a bit."

Andrew had by the end of this statement moved to sit in a chair opposite us, no longer holding me in any way. It was a little disappointing I gotta say. I suppose after ten months of nothing even a touch of the hand is enough.

He placed a hand on his chest in feigned hurt at Serena's comment. "Will I always be a second choice to you, Serena? I'm hurt! I thought you'd finally gotten over Darien."

"Yeah, it's usually when a girl gets pregnant with a guy's kid that she chases after the best friend. How'd you know?" Serena replied sarcastically.

"I suppose I understand, but go easy on me will you? I'm fragile." Andrew replied and then got back up. "So how's the baby anyway?" He moved to kneel in front of Serena as he felt her still-flat tummy.

Serena's smile was so maternal then. I don't know how to explain it, but that was definitely a maternal smile – so gentle and peaceful. "Wonderful. I'm actually excited to get a little fatter. I've never really been able to gain weight. I'm wondering if this'll give me some boobs." Both Andrew and I laugh at her comment and Serena blushes, realizing that she'd just babbled a bit too much information for poor Andrew who had turned a little pink at the comment.

"Andrew, how many times must I tell you to avoid feeling up my wife?" A third humorous and faux-exasperated voice enters the conversation from the door. Looking up, I see Darien shaking his head, smiling and holding a takeout bag of food, which smells like Chinese.

Andrew lifts his hands off of Serena's stomach and raises them over his head. "Sorry, man, but you should've chosen a less attractive wife. Guy can't help himself, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep your paws to yourself." Darien replies easily, putting the takeout on Andrew's desk and turning around to plant a gentle kiss on his wife's lips. I smile wistfully, looking at the affectionate gesture. A second later Darien's smile had turned to me, waving his hand as his arm was slung comfortably around Serena's shoulder. "How're you Mina? This one hasn't been driving you too nuts, has she?"

"Hey!" Serena yelled, attempting to push his arm off of her but he wouldn't budge. I laughed.

"I think provoking the pregnant lady isn't the best idea you've had Darien." I reply and Serena sticks her tongue out at Darien.

"See?" She says, slinging her arm around my shoulder. "Thanks, friend." I can't help but laugh at the image we make, each person with an arm around the next person.

"Should I join the end of the train?" Andrew comments with a laugh, noticing the same thing I did. He slung his arm around Darien. "Sup, man?" He said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. That had Darien moving.

He went to examine the take-out bag he'd placed on the desk, looking inside a little grimly. "I didn't think anyone else was coming so I only got food for Drew and I, but I think there might still be enough to go around if the bottomless pit doesn't eat it all."

"Hey!" Andrew huffs.

Darien shakes his head. "Not you, Drew. I mean Meatball Head."

"Hey!" Serena then huffs. "What's with you today? Do I have a target on my forehead, Mina?" She asks turning to me and pointing at her head. I laugh and shake my head. Darien chuckles a little and bends down to his annoyed wife.

"It's my way of saying, 'Hi, honey. I missed you.'" He says and Serena's mouth quirks up a little as she raises an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Really, really." He replies and kisses the tip of her nose.

"I think I might be lactose intolerant." Andrew suddenly says from across the room, watching the two. Confused expressions are all around and he smiles evilly. "I can't handle all of this _cheesiness_."

I laugh and jump out of my seat with my hand raised. "I think I might be a diabetic." Drew laughs as Serena and Darien roll their eyes.

"Why?" Drew plays along.

"Because I can't handle all this sweetness." I reply and we high five then break out in a fit of laughter like we're little children, while mom and dad (ie Darien and Serena) look on incredulously.

"Let's steal some food and leave the kids alone for a bit, shall we?" I hear Darien say in the background, as I still can't pull myself back together.

"Be back in ten minutes, Mins." Serena's voice says and vanishes.

A couple minutes later, Drew and I have regained composure. "Hey, where'd they go?" Drew asks obliviously and I break down again. "What?" He asks, smiling at me as he moved for the food. "Never mind. I don't care. God, I'm starving."

I smile over at him. His head had practically disappeared in one of the takeout cartons. "Workaholic, huh?" I ask, taking the seat directly in front of his desk. His head pops back up briefly and he opens his mouth to speak but I laugh, shaking my head. "Goddess, you can wait until after you chew."

He complies and quickly swallows the food and temporarily puts down the chopsticks. "Not really, no. We're just really busy with one of our clients right now. Ever heard of the Dazzling Duchess?"

I stop to think for a moment. "I think I've seen the name in a magazine somewhere, but I don't know much about her other than that's a ridiculous name."

He laughs. "I totally agree. She's the one that won't let us use her real name. She says if Beyonce can be Sasha Fierce, she can be the Dazzling Duchess."

"Sasha Fierce didn't make it very far though. She's still known as Beyonce." I reply.

"So wise, Mina. So wise. You should convince her for me because I've tried time and again and she won't let up. I don't know. Maybe the name will stick, who knows right?"

"What's her real name?" I ask curiously and Drew takes a moment between bites, smiling sheepishly at his barbaric behavior.

"Sorry, I'm really starved." He apologizes and I simply shake my head in acceptance. "It's Michelle Misha." He answers finally.

"That's a pretty catchy name, I don't see why she'd want to change it. Better than Mina Cytherean." He gave me a puzzled look.

"Cytherean, huh? Where's that from?" He asked curiously.

"Well, it has two possibilities. One that it's a name after an Island in Greece as my dad's side of the family has Greek roots. The other is relating to Venus. I prefer to think it's the latter." He laughed.

"That being why the V, huh?" He said it more than asked, making the V for Victory sign. I laughed and nodded.

"The girls and I chose names after planets when we were in high school. Though Serena is randomly the Moon, but I chose Venus. So there are multiple reasons for the famous V**,**" I said giving my signature.

"You know it's also called a peace sign right?" He said challengingly and I shake my head.

"Not in my world. It's a V for Victory and Venus!" He laughed again and dived back into his food then stopped suddenly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I have no manners. Do you want some food? Dare got me two cartons anyway." He offered the other and I laughed, shaking my head.

"Na, we ate dinner already. And you look like you haven't eaten in a year so you need it more than I do." He smiled.

"Well, if you insist." And I laughed as he started working on the other carton.

"You sure know how to show a girl a good time, don't you?" I teased. He looked up with a quirked brow.

"Don't count this as anything. This is you surprising me at the office when I'm starved. This isn't a date. Come next Saturday, it'll be all polished Andrew." I smiled.

"Really?" I raised my eyebrows challengingly.

"Yes, and there's no preview for this show so be prepared for anything." He replied easily with a hidden smile.

"I'm always prepared, no worries." He smiled and opened his mouth to speak but a knock on the door interrupted us. Turning around, I saw the most atrocious disaster I've ever seen.

The girl- definitely couldn't be over seventeen despite the attempts at aging her face with layers of abused makeup - standing in front of us has pretty enough features and her body, had it not been covered by that monstrosity, appears to be toned and curvy. But that monster… it honestly looks like a garbage bag. Like she took a garbage bag and wore it out and also tore it. Yes. That's it. She definitely cut some holes in a garbage bag and then tore it randomly across her stomach. The 'dress' only went down to a little below her butt. She wore a florescent yellow pair of heels to cinch the disaster completely. Her hair was her only saving grace. It was actually pretty normal; it was deep brown and layered and went down straight to a little past her shoulders.

By then, as I gaped in horror, Drew had ushered in the girl eaten by a monster.

"Did you see this? Did you, Mr. Masen?" She held up a copy of what appeared to be Teen Vogue, but continuously shook it as she waved her fist around angrily. "I don't even appear in a good magazine and it insults me!"

"Calm down, Michelle." Drew said patting her shoulder awkwardly. "Here, give me the magazine and sit down. I'll grab you a coke."

"NO!" She screamed, scaring the shit out of me. And Drew too, who actually flinched a little. "Diet Coke, Mr. Masen. Diet Coke."

"Diet Coke it is. Sit down and breathe." He went over to a mini-fridge behind his desk that I hadn't noticed before. When he opened it, it was filled to the brim with cans of soda and water. Mainly, miraculously, Diet Coke like she wanted.

Michelle, as he'd called her, did as instructed. However, instead of sitting normally, she bent her head between her knees and began some kind of breathing exercises. Wow… Dramatic much?

"Are you okay?" I said, finally regaining my facilities as the shock of the whole thing dissipated. She looked up, but still had her head between her legs. And I could totally see her underwear, but I tried to just look at her eyes. Really? She can't sit up at least so I don't have to look at her crotch? She blinked twice.

"Who are you?" She stared suspiciously and I smiled at the crazy girl.

"Mina Cytherean, I'm a friend of Andrews." I said simply and her eyes narrowed.

"Do you sing?" She asked and I laughed.

"Only if I'm drunk or really happy, both of which you don't want to witness." She breathed a sigh of relief and sat up as she grabbed the Diet Coke from Andrew who handed me one as well and then buried his nose in the magazine she'd brought. She extended her free hand, but we were still too far away to reach so I had to get up to shake it.

"I'm the Dazzling Duchess." She introduced with a bright smile and batted her eyelashes dramatically. I tried not to laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Michelle." I _cannot_ honestly call her Duchess or Dazzling or that combination and not burst out laughing. She narrowed her eyes.

"How'd you know that?" She asked.

"Andrew called you that." I replied, hoping she wouldn't claw my eyes out because the overall image I have of this girl is definitely mental patient material.

"Oh." She replied and shook her head. "He _refuses_ to call me by my proper name. How is it supposed to catch on if he's calling me Michelle?"

"Why not just be Michelle? It's a nice name." I stated simply.

"It's too plain. You know how many Michelle's there are in this world?" I shook my head and she looked deep in thought for a second. "Well, I don't know either but I'm sure it's _a lot_. Now, how many Dazzling Duchesses have you heard of?" She gave me no time to reply as she smiled triumphantly instantly. "Only me."

I didn't bother to tell her that that's probably because it's a ridiculous name that only she would want.

"What about Michelle Misha? How many of those are out there?" I questioned back. She tilted her head, thinking. "Yeah, I don't know either, but if you've never heard of any asides yourself then you're on the right track. It's a nice name too. Catchy. Catchier than Dazzling Duchess I'd say."

"Really?" She asked curiously as she took a sip of her Diet Coke, completely calm at this point and deep in thought as though this were a philosophical conversation we were having.

"Yeah. I'd consider switching back." I said, smiling at how easy that was. Andrew must fail at persuasion.

"I still like Dazzling Duchess." She concluded and continued sipping her Diet Coke.

"This isn't _that_ bad, Michelle." Andrew finally spoke from behind his desk.

"DUCHESS!" She screamed, crazy again.

"No, Michelle." Andrew replied calmly. "I refuse to use that name, otherwise I'll be on the floor rolling over from laughter every time I say it." I laughed at the honest opinion I shared but hadn't expressed. "But, anyway. This isn't that bad."

"Mr. Masen, did you read that article?" It was so weird that she'd call him Mr. Masen. One second she's attempting to be an adult and the next she's a schoolgirl – though a _horribly_ dressed schoolgirl.

"Yes, I did and it's really irrelevant. It's about your sense of fashion, not your music." He replied simply, putting the magazine down. I picked it up off the desk and looked at the topic of conversation. There was a two-page spread dedicated to similar-monstrosities like the one she was wearing, each making me cringe more than the last. The comments were really funny though.

"See her face? AND she's laughing!" She screamed and I looked up guiltily, putting the magazine down.

Andrew smiled at me sympathetically for a moment before turning to Michelle. "It's irrelevant is all I'm telling you. It's not insulting your music. This is kind of good too. It puts you in the eye of the media, though obviously I'd prefer for it to be in a better light. But in this world, negative publicity gets more attention than positive. People will be talking." He smiled victoriously and I shook my head at his stupidity. A second later the screech I knew was eminent came.

"TALKING ABOUT ME DRESSING BADLY!" She screamed and then bent over to breathe between her knees again, bringing my eyes down to her crotch. I looked over to see how Drew was handling this. He wasn't looking at her, that's how. He merely gave me a tired look and shook his head.

'What do I do?' He mouthed to me and I laughed with a shrug then turned to the girl again.

"Why don't you just try dressing better?" I asked and her head poked out again from between the garbage bag. She looked angry.

"You don't think I TRY to dress nice? This dress cost me four hundred dollars! These shoes were a hundred!" My eyes widened in shock and horror.

"Why on Earth would you spend that much money on a garbage bag?" It slipped without my notice and laughter erupted from behind me, Drew's head had fallen on top of his desk in mirth. I couldn't find the humor in this though. That's ridiculous.

"So it _does_ look like a garbage bag!" Michelle yelled angrily, sitting up and crossing her arms. "The lady at the store told me I was crazy for thinking that."

"Yeah, you are crazy. For believing her lies." I stated simply. She sighed.

"What do I do? I always take the advice of the workers at the store and they always land me on the Worst Dressed list. I want to be Best Dressed for once! JUST ONCE!" She huffed angrily and I nodded sympathetically with her. Poor Michelle. A moment later her bipolar tendencies appeared again. Suddenly she was kneeling in front of me with puppy dog eyes. "Will you help me? You're dressed nice. When I came in I thought you were a singer here to replace me or something. You must be a model or something, please help a fellow starving artist."

She'd taken hold of my hands as well and her expression was so pleading, I couldn't refuse her. "Alright." She looked up excitedly.

"Really?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes. On condition." She looked suspiciously at me. "You introduce yourself to people with me as Michelle so we don't get laughed out of the store."

She looked sheepish. "Alright."

"Good." I replied back.

I turned to see what Drew was doing throughout this exchange. He was eating again and when I gave him an incredulous look he just said, "What?" I laughed at him and looked back to see that Michelle had gotten hold of my cell somehow and was entering in what I assumed to be her number. After doing so she asked what mine was and I gave it to her- and saw Drew had stopped eating briefly to enter it into his cell. He shrugged when I looked at him questioningly.

"Mina?" I turned to see Serena at the door then. "Ready to go?" She asked and I nodded.

"Nice to meet you Michelle. We'll set up a shopping date later. Bye Drew."

When we got out of the office, Serena turned to me. "What's up?"

I laughed, looking back briefly and saw that somehow Michelle's head had ended up between her knees hyperventilating again. Drew seemed completely oblivious as he continued to eat dinner.

I looked at my cell and went through the contacts backwards. There was no Michelle to be found. Confused, I looked through the rest of it and couldn't help but smile when I saw she'd entered her number as simply 'Duchess'.

"Crazy people. That's what's up." I replied simply, laughing and starting the weird tale of the Garbage Monster.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

****I'm SO SO sorry that I haven't posted in forever (if there is anyone still out there even looking at this story). But a lot has happened in the time. This isn't exactly the greatest come-back chapter but it has a special place in my heart because it has to do with some stuff that has happened recently in my personal life.

_Review if you (like me) can't remember what has happened thus far: _All of Mina's friends are married and most are either with child or have children. Mina is 29 and has recently started flirting with Andrew (Darien's friend and business partner). She went to their office with Serena to drop off something and met a strange and quirky teenage singer that calls herself the Dazzling Duchess but her real name is Michelle Misha. No one likes the name Dazzling Duchess except her.

The next chapter will be Andrew/Mina's first official date so wait for it! Hope you enjoy this one in the meantime. This is my way of saying I'M BACK!

**FP**

* * *

**Unwritten**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

I got a call from a hyena on Friday morning. The 'Duchess' herself, Michelle, was having another of her many meltdowns. I mistakenly answered the phone in the morning when I was groggy and still asleep. But the damage was done and she somehow got me to divulge my address.

I forced myself out of bed to dress and get ready despite the fact that all I wanted to do was stay under the warmth of my blankets.

Half an hour later, I was out and about with the Duchess. Her outfit was marginally less ridiculous than at our last meeting but still had me cringing.

"Before we start, I demand coffee."

She looked at me incredulously and I gave her a blank expression in response.

"Coffee is really not very good for you."

"Actually, studies show that coffee can be good for you. I'm pretty sure there's no study that shows Diet Coke will do anything but make you gain weight."

"It's diet!" She screamed like I had just insulted her deity. I apologized apathetically and headed in the direction of the nearest café.

"Large coffee, half an inch room for cream," I stated and turned to Michelle. "And you'll have?"

"Small cold press, a shot of white chocolate."

"That's brilliant for your health too," I muttered under my breath but said nothing when Michelle asked me what I had said.

As I stirred cream into my morning bliss, I heard my name from an all-too-familiar voice that stopped my blood from moving.

"Mina? Is that you?"

All I wanted, my only wish in this world, was to have never picked up my phone this morning, to never have decided to come to this café, to never have left the comfort of my lovely blankets.

Damn it.

I had to move; I had to do something. I couldn't stand facing away from him because it would only make things worse. It made me look even more pathetic (if it were possible) than I had those eight long years ago.

_Turn_.

And I did.

I had hoped to see him fat and with a receding hairline or fashioning a hairpiece. Preferably he'd have buck-teeth. At the very least, I had hoped he would have gotten uglier or marginally less attractive.

But things never go how we want, especially if your name is Mina Cytherean.

"Michael!"

My voice was overly excited, my smile could not have been any more forced.

He was hotter than ever. Instead of gaining a few wrinkles to mark his life in the mid-thirties, he only had a chiseled appearance that made him seem more sophisticated. Why did men always have to age so well? He was 35 now if my memory served me, six years older than me.

Michael Ingrid had been an old family friend for years. Every girl has an older guy in her life that she terms her unattainable 'dream man.' Usually, those girls' fantasies stayed in an unrealistic dream world. I'm either the incredibly lucky or unlucky exception. At 19, I saw a shift in the way Michael viewed me. He was almost 25 and I tried my best to gain his interest on the few occasions we saw each other. And it worked. I was 20 when we started 'going out' although it wasn't really going out. I decided to study abroad in Japan my senior year of college and right before I left he confessed his attraction to me. So, we were in a long-distance relationship for the duration of my time abroad. We spoke almost every day, especially at the beginning of the relationship. I trusted him fully, believing in him both because I was naïve and young but also because he was an old family friend. Why would I not trust him?

Michael created a fantasy world unrivaled to any I could have made up alone. He vowed to marry me when I came back to the states. He dreamed up vacations we would go on. He promised to always be there, even if God forbid we split. And I believed him.

Never once did Michael tell me he loved me but I believed in his words and his deceptive eyes. I believed that when he told me to close my eyes and imagine him beside me that he felt the same as I did.

It was a month or two before my return to the states when he became more aloof towards me. His promises wavered. He told me things like 'we'll see' instead of speaking with any kind of certainty. It took less than a month of being on the same continent for us to breakup. Michael said I loved him more than he could give. He said that we weren't practical together.

But perhaps I should clarify that Michael never actually 'said' any of those things. He wrote me a note and put it under my door. I never heard from him again. Not a single word from the man who had promised everything and committed nothing.

And here he was, eight years later saying 'Hi Mina.'

Before I knew it, he was enveloping me in a hug that made me only want to vomit from disgust. Who was this man to hug me? He was my first love and my first heartbreak. And he took no responsibility for anything, fleeing the moment things got real.

"How are you?"

"Great, how are you?"

It was the only response I had.

"I'm doing well." He lifted his hand and I saw the wedding band on it. But he smiled and clarified anyway like I was the same naïve and slow twenty year-old. "Married. Got reeled in last year."

"That's great!" My voice was still too high. I can't believe how much I'm blowing this. He's trumping me even eight years later. I always thought if we saw each other again, I'd be so cool and collected. I'd have my life together. I certainly didn't. I was a waitress. I was unattached. I had almost killed some old creepy guy. Yep, life surely turns up daisies.

He smiled and nodded as he looked down at my ring-less hand.

"Mina! Let's go!"

Michelle stopped at the drop-dead gorgeous site of my now-married ex. She smiled that smile teenage girls have only for older and unattainable men.

"I'm Michelle."

They shook hands but it was obvious that Michael wasn't paying her much attention. I don't know why he has to look at me like that. Wasn't it enough what he had done eight years ago?

When Michael said his name to introduce himself to Michelle, he finally seemed to register the girl in front of him. Recognition flashed.

"You're that Duchess girl, aren't you?"

Michelle nodded excitedly.

"Wow, and how do you two know each other?"

Finally regaining my head, I smiled a more normal smile and spoke.

"I'm her new personal shopper." Quickly I clarified, "Starting today. Everything up until tomorrow is not my responsibility."

Michael smiled.

"That's great! I'm glad you're doing well. Can we catch up sometime?"

Before I knew it, Michelle had grabbed his phone from his hand and was typing away. We both looked at her incredulously but she kept going until she was done and gave it back to him.

"Her number is in there."

Damn it. I never want to hear from this man again. Why did she do that? But the damage was done so I took her arm and said a quick goodbye before leaving.

Michelle continued jabbering away as though nothing happened. As soon as we were a few blocks away from the café I turned on her.

"Why on Earth would you do that?" I was yelling and I didn't know exactly why. There was no way for her to know who that was or why I didn't want him to have my phone number or any contact with me.

"What? He's cute!"

"Did you not hear that he's married?" My voice was still yelling and I knew it was irrational and mean but I couldn't stop myself. "My married ex-boyfriend who dumped me on a note and you gave him my phone number as if I want to talk to him again? You have no right!"

Her eyes were big and suddenly red.

"I'm sorry." She spoke so softly and so uncharacteristically that it alarmed me. I stopped and tried to breath.

"No, I'm sorry. You had no way of knowing anything."

It surprised me when she patted my arm as though to comfort me. Who would have thought she would be sweet even after being irrationally yelled at?

She suddenly smiled.

"At least you're hotter than him!"

I looked at her incredulously and laughed.

"You don't have to lie."

This time she looked at me incredulously.

"I'm not lying. Did you see him? Do you see you? You're way hotter than that old dude."

"Old dude?" She thought he was old-looking?

"Duh! He's clearly in his forties." My eyes bulged out in confusion. "You're hotter, trust me. This is something my friends and I call Love-Drunk eyes. When you love or have loved someone, you don't see them accurately. You see what you feel or felt. You probably saw some really hot, sophisticated guy right?" I nodded as I looked in shock at this suddenly kind-of-mature girl. She nodded as she smiled proudly at herself. "Sophisticated is another word for old-looking. He has wrinkles on his forehead. Hot is inaccurate because he clearly doesn't work out very often. He's one of those guys that says they love to work out but never actually go to the gym except when they start feeling really heavy. He just wears clothes to hide his fat. Yes, he's cute. But trust me, you're hotter."

I was being given advice and sympathy from a seventeen year-old girl who wanted to be named Dazzling Duchess. What was wrong with this picture?

"Forget the jerk." She grabbed onto my hand and started moving forward. For a moment, she looked back and gave me an apologetic face. "I'm sorry for giving him your number. I am usually too impulsive."

"No, I'm sorry I yelled at you." I responded. Then something came to me. "Why were you goo-goo eyed for him if he isn't that attractive?"

At that, Michelle laughed a bit manically, the laugh I remember from the first time we met.

"I'm seventeen. Any moderately attractive older guy has me goo-goo eyed. Can't help it."

A moment later she had grabbed my hand and we were off to the strip mall downtown. Despite her few moments of maturity, it was difficult to get the teenager to listen to me about anything. She became a whiny, crazy child pretty fast. I had to explain the difference between 'short and cute' and 'short and not clothes.' I like a mom more than a personal shopper. The sales lady who listened in on the conversation was laughing mutely to herself. When Michelle turned to glare at her, she went back to her work. Every store we entered was beyond my budget but was well within Michelle's range. We told the retailers immediately that we wanted no advice and would spend more if they left us alone so they did. It was, after all, these very same sales people who gave Michelle the worst fashion advice that led to her infamous fashion history.

It was the most grueling shopping day I'd ever been through but we finished seven hours later with a smile.

"And you're ready to face the world tomorrow!"

A strange man dressed in a suite began to grab the bags from my hand and I opened my mouth to scream before Michelle stopped me.

"That's Artie. He's my chauffeur."

I let the bags go as he grabbed them and began placing them inside a limo I hadn't really noticed before.

"That must be nice," I sighed. A seventeen year-old has a limo. This is a strange world.

"It is, isn't it?" She smiled like a kid that had just gotten a cool toy. But in this case, it is a teenager with a limo. I laughed as I thought about how strange of a girl she was. One minute a crazed lunatic crying about a magazine review, the next consoling a grown adult wallowing in past heart-ache, and then an excitable kid.

Then she was calling me to get into the limo to go home. My eyes grew even wider. I'd never been in a limo in my life although I'd always dreamed this to be the kind of life I'd lead in my late twenties. Dreams kids. They don't always come true like we want.

But as I entered the door being opened by chauffeur Artie, I thought to myself that perhaps dreams that come true in ways we don't expect can be better.


End file.
